Kelly Fey

Kelly Fey is often remembered as the "Iron Lady" of the Kaiwi Channel. While many of the heroes you've mentioned are current or recent champions, Kelly Fey was the dominant force who defined the professional standard for women’s surfski racing during the 1990s and early 2000s.

The Molokai Matriarch

Based in Hawaii, Kelly Fey’s relationship with the Molokai Challenge is legendary. She didn't just win; she made the crossing her own.

• Five Consecutive Titles: She won the Molokai World Championship five years in a row (1995–1999).

• The 1997 Performance: In the same year that Dean Gardiner set his long-standing men's record, Fey delivered a masterclass in the channel, finishing in 4:12:40. To put that in perspective, she was frequently finishing in the top 15-20 of the entire field, including the elite men.

• Transition to Outrigger: Like Dean Gardiner, she was a true waterwoman, successfully transitioning between surfski and OC-1 (outrigger canoe) and winning top honors in both disciplines.

Technical Style: Reading the Water

Fey was known for a "quiet" but incredibly efficient paddling style.

• Channel Knowledge: Living and training in Hawaii gave her a home-court advantage. She understood the complex currents and the "rebound" waves off the Molokai cliffs better than almost anyone.

• Mental Toughness: Her era of racing preceded the high-tech GPS tracking and safety fleets of today. Her victories were built on grit and an uncanny ability to find the fastest "line" across the 32-mile channel through intuition alone.

Legacy and the Path for Others

Kelly Fey provided the blueprint for athletes like Rachel Clarke and Danielle McKenzie. Before Fey, women's surfski was often viewed as a secondary event. Her blistering times and professional approach forced race organizers and sponsors to treat the women's elite field with the same prestige as the men's.

How she fits with the Greats